As you may know, the top ten drivers, or any driver within four hundred points of the leader are eligible to compete for the championship in the final ten races. Each driver will start out the Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship five points apart, according to how they were ranked after the twenty-sixth race.
While over half of the fans and media were disdainful of this format when it was initially announced and implemented after the 2003 season, it has unarguably produced more stimulating championship races. Kurt Busch defeated Jimmie Johnson by only eight points in the inaugural NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship, and Tony Stewart had to wait until the final lap of the Ford 400 at Homestead before he could begin to celebrate his second championship, which he won by only 35 points over Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards.
But despite the excitement in the existing championship arrangement, flaws have been detected, and modifications to make the format even more fan friendly have become requisite. Brian France was vague as to precisely what adjustments will be activated, so all we can do now is hypothesize.
One modification that I would institute is increasing the cutoff point to 500 points instead of 400. Most likely only ten drivers would still be eligible, but there will be seasons such as 2002 and 2004 when at least fourteen or fifteen drivers will have a strong chance to be within that 500-point barrier after race # 26.
Drivers who have multiple wins, and are outside of the Chase for the Championship cutoff should be included. This would have put Jeff Gordon in the Chase last year. And if the Chase for the Championship was implemented in 2000, Dale Earnahrdt Jr and Jeremy Mayfield would have been the Chase extras, in 2002, Ward Burton would have been included, and in 2003, Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon would have been added into the championship mix.
Furthermore, the ten or more drivers included in the Chase should have a separate points system, so that DNF's and misfortune will not entirely wipe them out of championship contention. It should be a format similar to that of the Rookie of the year points system.
My unprofessional, un-researched, and possibly flawed suggestion of how points should be awarded for drivers in the Chase For the Championship.
Highest finishing chaser - 20 points
2. 18 points
3. 16 points
4. 14 points
5. 12 points
6. 11 points
7. 10 points
8. 9 points
9. 8 points
10. 6 points
11. 5 points (if necessary)
12. 4 points (if necessary)
1 point for leading a lap
2 points for leading most laps
2 additional points for winning
email the author: autoracing@suite101.com
